Our Pacific Northwest: Ducks of a Feather Football Together

Our Pacific Northwest

Ducks of a Feather Football Together

For the first time in over 70 years, Oregon football will once again be led by a native son. Earlier this week, the University of Oregon held a press conference for homegrown Mark Helfrich, who’s taking the helm of the Ducks with Chip Kelly migrating to the NFL. In a report filed by the Register-Guard, Helfrich and the University agreed to a five-year contract with an annual base of $1.8 million, roughly the same amount Kelly made his first season as head coach of the Ducks in 2009. Helfrich attended Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Ore., where he excelled on the football field. He went on to play college ball at Southern Oregon where, according to the report, he led the NAIA in total offense as a sophomore. Helfrich eventually became a graduate assistant at Oregon in 1997, and then spent a few stints at Boise State, Arizona State, and Colorado before coming home to become the Duck’s Offensive Coordinator and quarterbacks coach, which he’s held since 2009. The report also noted Helfrich will become the 32nd head coach in Duck football history and the first native Oregonian since John Warren in 1942. Helfrich appeared to be the University’s obvious choice, who promised to “attack, in all phases,” a program mantra since the Kelly era began.

Photo via freep.com